Love Hurts Always
by FieryRose1031
Summary: Hermione is finally with the man of her dreams, but being with him ruined the Golden Trio's once eternal friendship. Hermione is confused, her actions seem to be sending him to the dark side. How could Little Miss Perfect have screwed up so bad?


**1. Prologue: Tossing and Turning**

Hermione snuggled deep beneath her warm blankets and tried to go to sleep. She closed her eyes tight and counted sheep, but had no luck. After the eighth sheep, she would lose count, because her mind was wondering. She rolled onto her back and gazed up at the top of her bed. As Head Girl, she was blessed with a queen size canopy bed draped in scarlet red hangings and a gold top curtain. The bed wasn't the only perk of being Head Girl though. She had her own suite in the castle with a joining bathroom. The bathroom was enormous, and it contained a small swimming pool for baths and relaxing. Hermione's favorite part about being Head Girl though was not a material possession. In fact, if she closed her eyes and listened hard, she could normally hear his snores this time of night.

Unfortunately, his snores were not there tonight. Her fellow 'Head', as he had put it, was probably off with his best friend, trying to explain everything. Once upon a time, it had been the three of them, best friends for life. Hermione suppressed a sob with the feeling that is her fault they weren't all a close group of friends anymore. She rolled over to her side and looked out the window. The moonlight danced across the calm lake waters, reminding Hermione of the walk they had taken so few nights ago. It was that walk that started all of this.

They had walked out to the grounds at night to do some patrolling as their duties as Head Boy and Girl. Hermione had been nervous about going out into the grounds at night with only him. The grounds were enormous and shadows jumped out at her, or so it seemed. She spent the first half of the night, sticking unnaturally close to him and he had noticed. When she had expressed her concern, he put his arm around her and told her not to worry, he would protect her.

It had all started innocently enough; they were splashing each other in the freezing cold surf, when he had just spilled everything. It turned out that they had both liked each other for a long time and were only afraid to say anything. Of course, he and Hermione were lucky; at least he had been brave enough. Hermione's heart went out for all those couples who were to shy and didn't ever say anything to the one they loved._ What if that's how they had ended up, with neither of them saying anything? _Hermione shuddered at the thought-nothing should go unsaid, especially now, because of the rise of Lord Voldemort. Although he had been biding his time in their fifth year, he was now out and killing again.

Love is a good thing, usually. It had brought her so much happiness already, she couldn't wait for more. It was on that same night, the one were he told her that he loved her, that she had had the courage to kiss him. In the beams of the moonlight, they had shared their first real kiss. Hopefully, it wouldn't be the last. Love is a good thing, except when it comes between friends. Their love defiantly had. Hermione remember the look on his face when he had caught them kissing by the lake. His face had so much emotion-the disbelief first, then betrayal, then hurt, and finally anger. A tear slid down her check now, as it had when he had discovered the two of them.

It hadn't helped matters that earlier that week, they had both heard her say to Lavender that she could never love either of them in a passionate way and that Harry and Ron were more like brothers. What he and Lavender hadn't known was that she was fibbing to Lavender, and she really did love his best friend. She hadn't meant to have them hear her, and then take it so literally. The next meal after they eavesdropped, he had come up and put his arm around her saying_, how's it going, sis_? Hermione sighed and listened for her boyfriend's comforting snores, they were still absent.

The room, that he now had, had also driven him and his best friend apart. It put distance between the two of them. Hermione wiped a tear away. If she could, Hermione would go back and change everything. Now she would have to make the best of it. Hermione hadn't meant to come between Ron and Harry; she hadn't known that her picking him would hurt his best friend so much. They all used to be best friends, the three of them, and she had gotten both of their attention. Hermione wished with her whole heart that she could change the events. She prayed that someday, he would forgive her for hurting him, and she hoped that one day, she would forgot the look on his betrayed face. It haunted her everywhere now-during class, when she was trying to sleep, and when she would study.

After all that had happened to them, she was afraid that their friendship wouldn't last. She spent all her spare time in the library now, because she couldn't face him. Both Ron and Harry (everyone actually) were always talking about how smart she was. But if she was so smart, why hadn't she known the truth and stopped this from happening? You learn from your mistakes, and Hermione had. She knew the truth now…sometimes it hurts your worst enemies, sometimes is hurts strangers, others it hurts you best friends in the whole world, and it even hurts you. It doesn't matter who it applies to, the harsh truth is that love hurts, always.


End file.
